The FDA’s Antipathy toward Homeopathy

In 2015, the FDA held a public hearing to evaluate its enforcement policies for homeopathic drug products, indicating that an attack against homeopathy may be imminent. The Federal Trade Commission had previously recommended that the FDA reconsider its framework for regulating homeopathic products, so this move was not unexpected.

Whatever their efficacy, and there is much debate about that (we discuss some of the science of homeopathy below), nothing could be safer than homeopathic preparations. Still, it has rankled the FDA not to have authority over this class of medicine, which they would certainly use to remove homeopathic remedies from the shelves. In the eyes of the FDA, it seems that the besetting sin of homeopathic preparations, as with supplements, is that they can under certain circumstances compete with FDA-approved Big Pharma drugs—the very drugs that pay the FDA’s bills, including staff salaries.

The science behind homeopathy

A number of scientific studies from the past ten years showing that homeopathy can indeed be effective—far more effective than placebo. These studies, which range from random controlled trials (RCTs, the supposed “gold standard”) to observational studies to meta-analyses, often look at homeopathy as an adjunct to conventional medicine. Here is just a sampling:

Conventional medicine’s hostility

Practitioners of conventional medicine are often hostile toward homeopathy: one commentator called homeopathy “a fraud perpetrated on the public with the government’s blessing.” This kind of response is understandable considering that homeopathic medicine is often so diluted that the original ingredient is virtually undetectable. The mechanism of action is therefore uncertain. But there is scientific support for efficacy, in addition to anecdotal evidence from centuries of use.

Much more research is needed on homeopathy, despite the abysmal lack of funding for it. At the very least there is promising evidence supporting it—which is why the FDA’s move to shut it down now is so troubling and wrongheaded.